Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2018  with  funding  from 
Getty  Research  Institute 


https://archive.org/details/exhibitionofpainOOfrag 


PATRONESSES 

MADAME  CHARLES  B.  ALEXANDER 
MADAME  S.  R.  BERTRON 
MADAME  SNOWDEN  A.  FAHNESTOCK 
MADAME  PETER  COOPER  HEWITT 
MADEMOISELLE  ELEANOR  G.  HEWITT 
MADEMOISELLE  SARAH  COOPER  HEWITT 
MADAME  HENRY  BARTON  JACOBS 
MADAME  OTTO  H.  KAHN 
MADAME  JOHN  W.  SIMPSON 
MADAME  JAMES  SPEYER 
MADAME  M.  ORME  WILSON 
MADEMOISELLE  ELSIE  DE  WOLFE 


EXHIBITION  OF  PAINTINGS 

AND  DRAWINGS 

BY 

FRAGONARD 


AT  THE  GALLERIES  OF 


E.  GIMPEL  &  WILDENSTEIN 
636  FIFTH  AVENUE 
NEW  YORK 


THIS  EXHIBITION  IS  HELD  FOR  CHARITY,  THE 
PROCEEDS  TO  BE  GIVEN,  IN  EQUAL  PARTS,  TO 
TWO  CHARITABLE  ORGANIZATIONS  OF  NEW  YORK 

1914 


Nn 

Ft 

i  i  ' 

I  7  I  “S 


THE  J.  PAUl  GETTY  MUSEUM 

LIBRARY 


MESSRS.  E.  GIMPEL 
&  WILDENSTEIN 
BEG  TO  THANK  THEIR 
PATRONS  AND  HERE¬ 
WITH  GRATEFULLY 
ACKNOWLEDGE  THEIR 
GENEROSITY  IN  LEND¬ 
ING  THEIR  PAINTINGS 
FOR  THIS  EXHIBITION 


^JScL  Jji 


OJU  I&  r - 


Puisque  nul  n’ouvre  plus  le  pare  aux  grilles  closes 
Ou  chantaient  dans  le  soir  les  flutes  de  Watteau; 
Puisque  le  bon  Chardin  vieillit  et  va  bientot 
Fermer  ses  yeux  epris  de  la  beaute  des  choses; 

Puisqu’a  Cythere,  afin  d’y  prodiguer  ses  poses, 
Venus  la  blonde  a  pris  Boucher  dans  son  bateau; 
Puisque  Nattier  n’est  plus,  et  qu’au  divin  coteau 
Sa  Flore  ou  son  Hebe  ne  tresse  plus  des  roses  .  . 

Avec  tes  clairs  pinceaux  trempes  dans  le  soleil, 

Tu  restes  le  dernier,  cher  Frago!  sans  pareil 
Pour  coiffer  un  minois  et  trousser  une  guimpe; 

Et  le  siecle  survit  en  toi,  qui  sais  encor 
Entremeler  sa  grace  au  graces  de  VOlympe 
Et  promener  V Amour  sous  les  feuillages  d’or. 


PIERRE  DE  N0LHAC. 


FRAGONARD 


FRAGONARD!  What  a  pleasing  and  musi¬ 
cal  sound  this  name  brings  to  the  ear! 

Fragonard  first  saw  the  light  of  day  beneath 
the  blue  sky  of  the  Riviera,  in  Grasse,— amongst 
the  flowers,— those  poor  little  tortured  flowers, 
as  Maeterlinck  says,  which  grow  there  in  such 
profusion,  and  are  so  fragrant  that  their  persecu¬ 
tor— Man— is  tempted  to  violate  and  martyrize 
them,  and  to  extort  from  them  their  very  life, 
their  soul,  their  perfume,  and  to  carry  them  from 
this  minute  spot  of  the  globe  and  scatter  them 
over  every  corner  of  the  world. 

Fragonard  was  born  in  the  year  1732,  in  that 
little  town  sheltered  from  stormy  winds  by  the 
hill  in  which  it  nestles,  and  which  protects  and 
guards  over  it.  In  this  way  the  little  town  is  able 
to  stand  the  hottest  months;  the  cold  winds  never 
reach  it,  and  even  the  mistral  is  forced  to  show 

l 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 

mercy.  All  the  bounteous  gifts  which  God  gave 
to  this  town  seem  to  have  left  their  influence  on 
the  great  man  who  was  born  and  bred  there. 

Grasse— Fragonard,  names  which  are  so 
closely  associated!  When  visiting  or  passing 
through  the  town,  one  cannot  help  thinking  of 
the  famous  artist;  and  when  his  name  is  men¬ 
tioned,  the  picture  of  the  small  low  houses,  the 
narrow  winding  streets,  and  the  surrounding 
landscape  where  he  spent  his  youth  comes  before 
one’s  eyes. 

His  father  wanted  him  to  become  a  notary 
clerk,  but  his  artistic  instinct,  his  genius,  guided 
him  towards  painting.  He  took  his  first  lessons 
with  the  great  Chardin.  Although  he  later 
drifted  apart  from  him,  Fragonard  always  re¬ 
membered  his  master’s  sound  science,  the  pre¬ 
cision  of  his  drawings,  and  his  natural  refinement. 

We  can  realize  how  conscientious  he  was  by 
the  fact  that  he  copied  Rembrandt  in  order  to 
find  out  how  this  artist  obtained  his  light  effects, 
and  to  master  thoroughly  the  art  of  painting 
shadows  and  half-lights  he  went  to  the  collec¬ 
tor  Crozat  to  study  the  “Holy  Family”  by  Rem¬ 
brandt;  and  any  one  who  has  seen  the  original 

2 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 

(which  is  to-day  in  the  Hermitage  Museum  in  St. 
Petersburg)  and  who  has  also  seen  the  copy, 
would  be  able  to  appreciate  the  latter,  in  which 
there  is  nothing  missing  of  the  characteristic 
force  of  Rembrandt.  Francois  Boucher  appre¬ 
ciated  so  very  much  his  pupil’s  copy  that  he  kept 
it,  and  it  was  found  in  the  catalogue  of  his  sale 
after  his  death. 

Fragonard  had  studied  the  religious  feeling  in 
Rembrandt— that  feeling  which  was  a  shade  less 
pronounced  than  in  the  primitive  school.  That  is 
why  he  was  not  afraid  to  undertake  himself  the 
execution  of  religious  works,  although  they  were 
of  a  less  stern  religion,  the  religion  of  the 
XVIIIth  century,  a  religion  of  incense  and  flow¬ 
ers,  in  which  the  angels  have  the  grace  of  cupids. 
So  he  painted  in  oil  a  design  called  “Le  Repos  de 
la  Sainte  Famille”;  afterwards  executing  a 
gouache  of  the  same  subject  that  was  on  view  in 
the  Salon  de  la  Correspondance  at  the  same  time 
as  the  gouache  of  “La  Bonne  Mere”  from  which 
the  engraving  by  De  Launay  was  made.  This 
design  was  a  success,  and  he  painted  a  larger  one 
for  the  Church  of  St.  Nizier  de  Troyes.  The 
Virgin  Mary  is  seen  holding  up  a  fair  Child  Jesus 

3 


JEAN  HONORS  FRAGONARD 

in  her  arms.  It  is  a  scene  full  of  motherly  and 
filial  love. 

He  was  not  satisfied  with  his  study  of  Rem¬ 
brandt  only.  Being  very  fond  of  landscape  paint¬ 
ing,  he  started  to  renew  his  study  of  the  Dutch 
School  just  when  he  was  at  the  height  of  his  tal¬ 
ent,  and  becoming  inspired  by  Ruysdael,  he  made 
use  of  the  latter’s  precision  and  exactitude  in  de¬ 
tail.  He  no  longer  copied  but  interpreted,  and  so 
cleverly  that  when  one  of  his  pictures  was  for  sale 
in  the  XVIIIth  century,  it  was  catalogued  under 
the  name  of  Ruysdael-Fragonard.  It  would  be 
hardly  possible  to  distinguish  them,  if  Fragonard 
had  not  brightened  his  subjects  by  little  figures  so 
characteristic  of  his  century,  little  peasant  girls 
and  dainty  little  shepherdesses,  who  seem  to  be¬ 
long  to  the  light  romances  of  that  day. 

Soon  after  that,  he  left  Chardin  to  study  with 
Boucher.  He  did  not  remain  with  the  latter  very 
long,  but  long  enough  to  take  from  him  all  his 
genius,  the  harmony  of  his  drawing,  the  vivid 
coloring  of  his  painting.  He  carried  in  his  mind 
all  his  subjects,  but  varied  them  according  to  his 
own  liking.  Boucher,  however,  had  his  revenge: 
he  left  his  mark  on  all  of  Fragonard’s  works,  ex- 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 

cept  on  those  painted  during  the  last  years  of 
his  life,  when  he  was  starting  to  do  inferior  work. 

At  that  time  the  poor  man  tried  to  imitate  Mile. 
Gerard,  with  whom  he  was  madly  in  love,  and 
who  made  a  great  mistake  by  treating  large  pic¬ 
tures  in  the  same  way  as  miniatures.  But  why 
mention  these  days  of  his  life?  One  should  pass 
over  the  period  of  weakness  of  artists  who  have 
done  such  wonderful  work  during  such  a  long 
term  of  years. 

While  he  was  still  in  Boucher’s  studio,  or  per¬ 
haps  a  short  time  after  having  left  him,  Frago¬ 
nard  resembled  his  master  so  much  that  it  is  very 
difficult  to  distinguish  the  works  of  one  from  the 
other;  and  even  at  that  time  engravers  made  mis¬ 
takes  and  wrote  “Boucher  pinxit”  instead  of 
“Fragonard  pinxit,”  as,  for  instance,  in  “La  Bas¬ 
cule.”  But  what  does  it  matter?  Here  we  have 
two  men— two  genii.  Their  talent  is  equally 
great.  Many  art  critics  prefer  the  master  to  the 
pupil.  Baron  Portalis,  who,  with  one  other  ex¬ 
ception,— the  Goncourts,— knew  more  about 
Fragonard  than  anybody  else,  has  written  a 
booklet  on  the  panels  called  “La  Vie  Champetre,” 
consisting  of  “La  Vendangeuse,”  “La  Bergere,” 

5 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 

“Le  Jardinier,”  “Le  Moissonneur,”  and  these 
panels  show  the  influence  of  Boucher  more  than 
any  of  his  other  works. 

Later  on  a  superb  overdoor  called  “La  Cage,” 
of  the  same  period  and  of  the  same  series,  was 
found  and  added  to  them.  In  these  paintings  we 
see  the  same  little  figures,  the  same  scenery  and 
perspective,  the  same  soft  blue  sky  that  appear  in 
Boucher’s  works. 

Fragonard  was  not  satisfied  with  stealing  se¬ 
crets  from  his  contemporaries  and  from  the  old 
masters  he  saw  around  him,  but  he  must  see  what 
he  could  gather  from  the  Italian  School.  He 
must  go  to  Rome,  and  found  no  difficulty  in  win¬ 
ning  the  Grand  Prix,  which  was  to  pay  for  his 
stay  in  the  Holy  City.  He  was  still  friendly  with 
Boucher,  who,  as  a  last  warning,  said  to  him, 
“Above  all,  do  not  take  all  the  great  masters  se¬ 
riously;  you  would  be  lost.”  What  sarcasm,  but 
how  true!  That  is  a  piece  of  advice  that  many 
artists  ought  to  take,  and  could  be  translated 
thus :  “Study  the  great  masters,  but  keep  your  in¬ 
dividuality.” 

Fragonard  listened  to  his  master’s  words. 
Armed  with  a  technical  knowledge  which  prob- 

6 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 

ably  no  other  painter  of  his  age  had  ever  ac¬ 
quired,  and  with  Hubert  Robert  as  a  companion, 
he  spent  his  time  studying  nature  in  the  country 
around  Rome.  The  two  artists  made  sketches 
which  were  useful  to  them  for  the  rest  of  their 
lives.  The  Abbe  de  St.  Non  was  also  of  the 
party,  and  made  the  engravings  of  their  draw¬ 
ings.  In  this  way  he  has  shown  us  the  energy 
and  capability  which  those  young  men  displayed, 
and  we  realize  why  they  became  such  great  mas¬ 
ters. 

Fragonard  returned  to  Paris.  The  opera  and 
its  attractions  called  to  him.  The  Southerner 
keenly  enjoyed  the  company  of  actresses,  with 
whom  he  became  a  great  favorite,  and  he  painted 
their  portraits,  sometimes  for  love  or  sometimes 
when  asked  by  some  grand  seigneur  to  adorn 
their  boudoirs  or  their  drawing-rooms.  But  this 
great  portrait-painter,  unfortunately,  painted 
very  few  portraits.  We  have  “La  Guimard,” 
painted  on  a  round  canvas.  What  courage! 
Marmontel  called  her  “La  Belle  Damnee”— and 
how  full  of  wit  she  was!— this  woman  who  re¬ 
ceived  in  her  hotel,  decorated  by  Fragonard,  all 
the  court  of  Paris. 


7 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 

We  have  as  pendant  to  it  “La  Duthe,”  just  as 
pretty,  celebrated  and  witty,  and  as  fond  of  exag¬ 
gerated  luxury,  as  the  other,  and  who  died, 
ruined  and  blind,  just  like  her  friend  and  rival. 
For  whom  were  these  two  portraits  painted? 
Perhaps  for  some  admirer  who  loved  them  both, 
thus  making  the  mystery  all  the  greater  because 
there  were  so  many  lovers  who  loved  them  both. 

In  another  portrait,  treated  in  a  more  severe 
way,  we  find  again  “La  Duthe.”  This  one 
looks  as  if  it  were  made  for  her,  and  with  another 
end  in  view. 

Frago  has  also  left  us  a  portrait  of  “Mile. 
Colombe”  with  the  features  of  Venus— that  Mile. 
Colombe,  the  Venetian  girl  of  Parisian  type,  with 
her  soft  fair  hair,  for  whom  he  decorated  a  Hall 
of  Pleasure  near  Paris.  (These  decorations 
were,  unfortunately,  destroyed  by  a  coating  of 
paint  fifty  years  ago.)  This  picture  is  painted  in 
white,  faintly  tinted  with  pink,  and  yet  there  is 
color  in  it  resembling  a  mass  of  flowers— of  those 
flowers  he  lived  with  in  Grasse,  those  flowers  of 
his  youth.  Everywhere,  in  every  corner,  he 
placed  them. 

The  poet  of  lovers  surpasses  himself  in 
8 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 

painting  cupids,  and  then  he  shows  us  “L’Amour 
Folie”  and  “L’Amour  Vainqueur,”  scenting 
the  air  with  petals  of  roses,  in  a  sky  just 
before  the  hour  of  twilight.  In  boudoirs  all  over 
the  world  one  sees  engravings,  by  Janinet,  of 
these  famous  pictures  which  will  serve  him  later 
on  as  models  for  two  of  his  renowned  panels  of 
Grasse.  Then  he  paints  the  “Sacrifice  of  the 
Rose,”  exquisite  symbol  of  the  “Last  Resis¬ 
tance.” 

His  flowers  peep  out  everywhere  they  can. 
They  climb  up  the  walls,  they  cling  to  the  cor¬ 
sage,  his  shepherdesses  bring  them  in  fancy 
wheelbarrows,  they  thrive  in  the  arbors  around 
“La  Bonne  Mere.”  They  enchant  the  mother  as 
well  as  the  lover.  They  are  the  joy  of  the  rich  as 
well  as  the  joy  of  the  poor,  of  the  modest  cottage 
and  of  the  courtesan’s  boudoir:  the  peasant  with 
his  wild  flowers  no  less  attractive  than  the  court 
ladies  crowning  their  lovers  with  choice  ones. 

He  has  a  weakness  for  roses  of  all  kinds :  the 
moss-rose,  the  rosemallow.  The  wizard,  with  a 
touch  of  his  magic  wand,  his  brush,  makes  thou¬ 
sands  appear.  But  he  must  have  the  sun ;  with¬ 
out  it  his  flowers  would  lack  color,  even  those  of 

9 


JEAN  HONORfi  FRAGONARD 

the  most  brilliant  hue.  Even  the  poppy  in  the 
corn-fields  needs  a  ray  of  sunlight  to  touch  it  to 
bring  it  to  life  and  make  it  more  of  a  blood-red 
than  ever.  The  sun  shines  right  among  them, 
bringing  out  every  little  detail.  At  times  it  only 
grazes  them,  but  more  often  takes  them  by  sur¬ 
prise  and  brightens  their  little  hearts,  revealing 
to  us  their  most  hidden  petals— petals  which  can¬ 
not  be  seen  by  the  naked  eye. 

The  sunshine  is  the  secret  of  Fragonard’s  art. 
He  knows  so  well  how  to  handle  it,  he  knows  all 
its  light  effects,  its  bright  touches,  keeping  its 
shadows  light.  He  makes  it  penetrate  through 
the  millions  of  leaves  in  the  forest,  looking  soft 
and  cool. 

It  comes  in  through  the  window— an  imag¬ 
inary  window— and  is  made  prisoner  in  the  al¬ 
cove.  To  revenge  itself,  it  shows  up  all  the 
secrets  of  the  room,  bringing  out  all  the  minute 
details  of  the  forms,  and  makes  us  appreciate 
certain  transparencies.  It  discovers  sleeping  lov¬ 
ers,  or  those  just  about  to  go  to  sleep,  and  shows 
up  all  the  love  around  them. 

But  out  of  doors  it  bursts  forth  brilliantly, 
takes  unawares  innocent  nymphs  playing  in  the 

10 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 

water,  shows  up  their  rosy  forms  and  their  laugh¬ 
ing  grace.  Sometimes  he  uses  his  rays  of  sun¬ 
light  to  bring  cupids  down  from  the  sky,  to  keep 
them  suspended  in  the  air,  and  to  give  them  a 
hazy  appearance,  thus  giving  a  little  more  sub¬ 
stance  to  a  dream,  like— in  “Le  Bonheur  du 
Premier  Baiser”— that  first  kiss  that  was  given, 
and  then  blew  away,  leaving  only  the  remem¬ 
brance  of  it  on  the  lips.  That  first  kiss  whose 
savor  remains  forever.  That  first  kiss  for  which 
one  waits  and  which  comes  one  day  and  is  now 
but  a  dream.  One  cannot  touch  it,  and  yet  it 
exists.  Oh,  that  first  kiss!  different  from  any 
other  kiss  because  it  cannot  be  renewed. 

Fragonard  becomes  wiser,  and  he  now  depicts 
“L’Amitie  coupant  les  Ailes  a  l’Amour.”  Soon 
after  he  marries.  Does  that  mean  that  love  dies  ? 
No,  it  only  changes.  With  what  facility  he  paints 
children— he  who  started  by  painting  cupids! 
Sweet  transition!  Ethereal  and  imaginary  beings 
floating  in  the  sky  are  transformed  into  dimpled 
babies  reposing  in  cradles  of  plaited  reeds.  Here 
we  get  a  glimpse  of  innocent  nudity,  the  colors 
reminding  us  of  the  roses  he  loves  so  much. 

He  depicts  the  “Good  Mother”  under  every 
11 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 

aspect:  “La  Visite  a  la  Nourrice,”  “L’Heureuse 
Fecondite,”  “L’Heureuse  Famille,”  “L’Heureux 
Menage,”  in  which  we  have  the  father  surrounded 
by  his  children,  and  his  wife  beaming  with  sub¬ 
lime  happiness— a  happiness  so  ideal  and  yet  so 
real.  The  artist,  without  wishing  to  paint  his  own 
features,  was  anxious  to  show  one  of  his  own 
family  groups,  of  which  he  was  so  proud. 

“La  Bonne  Mere,”  who  watches  and  guards,  is 
his  wife.  This  picture  is  painted  with  the  three¬ 
fold  love  of  the  husband,  father,  and  artist,  and 
one  can  understand  why  he  was  able  to  make  of 
this  canvas  such  a  masterpiece. 

What  charming  titles  he  gives  to  his  pictures ! 
“Les  Baisers  Maternels  ou  Les  Jalousies  de 
l’Enfance,”  depicting  children  rushing  and  fight¬ 
ing  for  their  mother’s  caresses,  for  those  kisses 
which,  with  their  childish  instinct,  they  are  able 
to  appreciate  from  the  bottom  of  their  little  hearts. 

How  he  loved  to  paint  his  only  son,  whom  he 
nicknamed  “Fanfan”!  Fanfan,  with  his  blue 
eyes  and  golden  hair,  and  his  bright  little  face. 
Fanfan,  pretty  as  a  girl,  yet  mischievous  as  a 
boy.  Fanfan,  who  figures  later  as  the  Evariste 
of  the  Revolution,  and  who  burned  his  father’s 

12 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 

prints  as  a  sacrifice  to  his  country.  He  is  said  to 
have  done  likewise  with  some  of  his  drawings. 
Those  drawings,  sometimes  washed  over  with 
bistre,  sometimes  drawn  in  with  black  or  red  pen¬ 
cil,  and  which  are  even  more  full  of  color  than 
some  of  his  most  brilliant  pictures,  would  have 
been  sufficient  to  render  him  immortal. 

He  is  supposed  also  to  have  wished  to  repre¬ 
sent  members  of  his  family  in  the  two  companion 
pieces  called  “La  Jeune  Fille  a  la  Marmotte”  and 
“Le  Jeune  Homme  a  la  Curiosite,”  so  different  in 
technic,  and  yet  so  similar.  One  is  treated 
broadly  and  represents  a  boy;  the  other  with  a 
certain  minuteness,  and  is  a  girl.  Fragonard  is 
the  only  man  who  has  dared  to  paint  such  con¬ 
trasts.  Not  one  of  his  pictures— not  even  a  pen¬ 
dant— resembles  another  in  any  way.  Here  he 
uses  a  fine  brush,  there  a  thick  one.  He  never 
uses  the  same  color  twice.  One  day  he  will 
choose  bistre,  as  in  the  “Billet  Doux”  and  the 
“Renaud  dans  les  Jardins  d’Armide,”  the  most 
wonderful  sketches  he  ever  composed— sketches, 
entirely  completed,  to  which  one  could  not  add  a 
single  touch,  although  they  appear  to  be  unfin¬ 
ished.  Another  day  he  mixes  and  mingles  all  his 

13 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 

colors  and  sometimes  tries  to  obtain  an  effect  of 
dark  shadow,  as  in  “Fanchon,  la  Vielleuse,” 
where  the  head  alone  stands  out,  as  if  sur¬ 
rounded  by  a  halo. 

“Fanchon,  la  Vielleuse.”  The  Revolution  was 
approaching.  Fanchon  was  singing  republican 
songs.  What  a  warning  to  Fragonard,  whose 
friends  and  protectors  were  soon  to  die  on  the 
scaffold,  and  he  himself,  although  protected  by 
David,  fled  from  Paris  to  his  native  town,  where 
he  hoped  to  find  peace!  He  took  with  him  his 
gorgeous  panels— his  masterpieces— “Les  Pro- 
gres  de  F  Amour  dans  le  Cceur  des  Jeunes  Filles,” 
the  most  beautiful  romance  of  Love  and  Youth, 
which  he  painted  for  Mme.  du  Barry,  and  which 
were  intended  for  the  Chateau  de  Louveciennes. 

Fragonard  did  not  feel  safe  even  among  his 
own  people,  and  so  painted  Revolutionary  em¬ 
blems  on  the  walls  of  the  entrance  to  his  house 
and  on  the  staircase.  These  protected  him. 

Poor  Frago !  The  Revolution  and  Mile.  Gerard 
had  killed  his  genius.  He  passed  away,  later  on, 
in  Paris— in  1806— in  that  great  city  he  loved  so 
much,  forgotten  for  the  time  being.  But  Fame 
awaited  him.  RENE  GIMPEL. 


14 


JEAN  HONORfi  FRAGONARD 


CATALOGUE 

PAINTINGS 

I.  “L’AMITIE  COUPANT  LES  AILES  A 
L’AMOUR” 

“Friendship  cutting  Love’s  Wings” 

This  canvas  is  the  sketch  of  one  of  the  over- 
door  paintings  that  were  in  the  Chateau  de 
Louveciennes  and  which  were  bought  by  Mme. 
du  Barry  from  Francois  Hubert  Drouais,  the 
painter. 

The  subject,  entitled  “Friendship  cutting  Love’s 
Wings”  (also  known  as  “Love  and  Friend¬ 
ship”),  was  very  much  in  favor  at  that  time.  The 
celebrated  Mme.  de  Pompadour  had  made  it 
popular.  Did  she  not  order  the  famous  group  of 
“Love  and  Friendship”  from  Pigalle  for  her 
Chateau  de  Bellevue?  and  was  this  subject  not 
strongly  emblematic  of  herself— she  who  had 
conquered  the  King  by  love  and  who  knew  how 
to  retain  his  affection  through  friendship  ? 

The  following  mention  is  to  be  found  in  the 
“Memoire  des  ouvrages  de  peinture  commandes 
par  Mme.  la  Comtesse  du  Barry  a  Drouais, 

15 


JEAN  HONOR!:  FRAGONARD 

peintre  du  Roy”  (Memorandum  of  the  paintings 
ordered  by  Mme.  la  Comtesse  du  Barry  from 
Drouais,  painter  of  the  King) : 

“On  Sunday,  June  24,  1770,  four  overdoor 
paintings  for  the  old  pavilion  of  the  Chateau  de 
Louveciennes  were  delivered  to  Mme.  la  Com¬ 
tesse:  one  representing  the  ‘Graces,’  another 
‘Love  Embracing  the  Universe,’  another  ‘Venus 
and  Love,’  and  a  fourth  one  representing  ‘Night.’ 
These  four  overdoors  were  painted  by  Frago¬ 
nard,  painter  of  the  King.  They  were  purchased 
for  1200  pounds  by  Mme.  la  Comtesse  from  M. 
Drouais,  to  whom  they  belonged.” 

(“Venus  and  Love”  has  since  been  called 
“Friendship  cutting  Love’s  Wings.”) 

These  marvelous  panels  were  immediately 
greatly  admired.  M.  Virgile  Josz  says:  “They 
must  have  had  signal  success,  for  Le  Doux’s  con¬ 
struction  was  then  but  half  completed  when 
Fragonard’s  name  was  included  among  the  va¬ 
rious  decorators  who  were  to  embellish  it.” 

M.  Pierre  de  Nolhac  says:  “With  a  heart  full 
of  youth  and  purity,  Fragonard  conceived  these 
delightful  decorations;  he  lavished  on  them  all 
the  grace  of  his  soul,  the  delicateness  of  his  color¬ 
ing,  the  fascination  of  his  brush.  These  four 
paintings  are  most  faithfully  and  lovingly  exe¬ 
cuted.  The  delicate  tones  are  so  light  that  they 
give  the  appearance  of  a  luminous  transparency. 

16 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 

The  strokes  are  sober;  and  in  them  we  detect  the 
diligence,  the  willingness,  the  constancy,  as  well 
as  the  brilliant  and  spontaneous  qualities  of  the 
artist.” 

The  following  is  what  M.  Portalis  says  of 
the  Chateau  de  Louveciennes :  “Every  one 
knows  that  there  were  two  distinct  pavilions  in 
the  little  village  situated  near  Marly.  In  1769 
the  King  gave  to  his  favorite,  to  be  used  by  her 
for  the  rest  of  her  life,  the  Chateau  de  Louve¬ 
ciennes,  which  had  become  vacant  through  the 
death  of  the  young  Prince  de  Lamballe,  son  of 
the  Due  de  Penthievre.  It  was  a  small  house, 
which  the  disagreeable  noise  of  the  neigh¬ 
boring  water-works  at  Marly  rendered  rather 
unpleasant  to  live  in.  .  .  .  It  was  to  embellish 
the  salon  that  the  above-mentioned  overdoors 
were  purchased,— charming  undoubtedly,  but 
which  at  present  we  can  find  no  trace  of.  .  .  . 
These  new  overdoors  painted  by  Fragonard  were 
placed  in  the  main  salon  or  in  the  gallery.” 

Previously  in  the  collection  of  M.  Trouard,  architect,  in 
Paris. 

Appeared  in  the  Trouard  Sale,  1779,  as  No.  84,  where  it 
sold  for  86  pounds. 

Mentioned  in  E.  and  J.  de  Goncourt’s  “L’Art  au  XVIIIeme 
Siecle.” 

Mentioned  in  Pierre  de  Nolhac’s  “Fragonard.”  Paris,  1907. 
In  the  collection  of  Mrs.  John  W.  Simpson,  New  York. 
Canvas,  8x  12J4  inches. 


17 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 


2.  “L’AMOUR  et 

3.  LA  FOLIE” 

“Love  and  Folly  ” 

“L’Amour  et  La  Folie”  are  perhaps  the  most 
popular  paintings  produced  by  the  great  master. 
All  the  engravers  have  been  anxious  to  reproduce 
them,  and  all  the  writers  on  Fragonard,  such  as 
Messrs.  E.  and  J.  de  Goncourt,  R.  Portalis,  Pierre 
de  Nolhac,  Virgile  Josz,  and  Leandre  Vaillant, 
have  praised  them  highly  in  their  books. 

The  pictures  are  treated  with  a  delicate  light¬ 
ness  and  painted  in  a  joyous  mood.  While  Love 
as  Conqueror  is  standing  silent,  beside  a  rose 
bush,  as  if  he  were  ready  to  shoot  the  arrow  he  is 
holding,  Love  as  Folly,  carelessly  agitating  his 
bells  and  his  fool’s  bauble,  seems  utterly  un¬ 
mindful  of  the  consequences  of  his  frolics. 

We  quote  the  following  from  Roger  Portalis’ 
book  (Paris,  1889),  on  page  102: 

“  .  .  .  Two  among  those  pictures,  ‘L’Amour 
et  La  Folie,’  are  quite  well  known  through  Jani- 
net’s  colored  engravings,  dated  1789,  the  original 
paintings  of  which  are  to  be  found  in  private 
collections.  The  allegory  continues  in  the  em¬ 
blematic  form  of  a  dove  pursued  by  Love,  and 
afterwards  lying  trembling  at  his  feet,  while 
further  away  Folly  is  rattling  his  bells.” 

18 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 

And  again  Portalis  writes : 

“Does  not  joyous  Love,  flitting  lightly  among 
the  flowers,  remind  us  of  the  following  verses? 

‘Sur  un  buisson 
Le  papillon 
Voit-il  la  rose, 

II  s’y  repose. 

Est-il  heureux 
Amant  frivole 
Soudain  il  vole 
A  d’autres  jeux.’  ” 

(Parny.) 

Virgile  Josz  describes  the  paintings  as  follows: 
“Love  as  Conqueror  and  Love  as  Folly,  two 
subjects  that  Fragonard  is  going  to  treat  re¬ 
peatedly  for  Prince  de  Conti  and  so  many  others; 
two  medallions  where  that  untiring  and  insatia¬ 
ble  little  Cupid  mischievously  runs  about,  an  ar¬ 
row  and  a  fool’s  bauble  in  his  hand,  in  the  midst 
of  everlasting  roses.” 

Mentioned  in  Roger  Portalis’  “Fragonard.”  Paris,  1889. 
Mentioned  in  Pierre  de  Nolhac’s  “Fragonard.”  Paris,  1906. 
Mentioned  in  Virgile  Josz’s  “Fragonard.”  Paris,  1901. 
Mentioned  in  E.  and  J.  de  Goncourt’s  “L’Art  au  XVIIIeme 
Siecle.” 

Mentioned  in  Leandre  Vaillant’s  “L’CEuvre  de  Chardin  et 
Fragonard.”  Paris,  1908. 


19 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 

Engraved  by  Janinet  in  color. 

Catalogued  in  Bourcard’s  “Manuel  de  l’Amateur  du 
XVIIIeme  Siecle.” 

Catalogued  in  Le  Blanc’s  “Manuel  de  l’Amateur 
d’Estampes.” 

Catalogued  in  Beraldi’s  “Les  Graveurs  du  XVIIIeme 
Siecle.”  Paris,  1881. 

Lercy  de  Senneville  Sale,  Nos.  56  and  57.  1780. 

Marquis  de  Veri  Sale,  No.  39.  1785. 

Folliot  Sale,  No.  50.  1793. 

Villeminot  Sale,  No.  23.  1810. 

Tabourier  Sale,  Nos.  93  and  94.  1898. 

In  the  collection  of  Mrs.  John  W.  Simpson,  New  York. 

Two  canvases,  oval,  21%  x  18  inches. 


4.  “LES  BAIGNEUSES” 

“The  Bathers” 

Young  and  pretty  women  coming  out  of  the 
water  or  frolicking  about  were  Fragonard’s  sub¬ 
jects  of  choice.  Thus,  besides  this  canvas,  we 
know  of  “The  Bathers”  at  the  Louvre,  the  “Bath¬ 
ers  Taken  by  Surprise,”  and  many  other  paint¬ 
ings  which  bear  this  inspiring  title. 

In  this  well-rounded,  rosy-hued  flesh  we  feel 
the  influence  of  his  master,  Boucher;  but  in  the 
graceful  poses,  in  the  harmonious  scenery,  Fra¬ 
gonard  has  retained  his  originality. 

While  this  picture  recalls  to  our  mind  the 

20 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 

painting  of  the  Louvre,  with  which  it  has  some 
similarity,  we  find  that  Fragonard  has  placed 
more  figures  in  this  canvas,  thereby  offering  us  a 
greater  variety  of  poses  and  attitudes,  most  pleas¬ 
ing  to  the  eye. 

Baron  Portalis  remarks  that  Fragonard  excels 
in  this  style:  “Never  did  he  feel  more  sure  of 
himself  than  when  he  painted  The  Bathers,’  in 
which  the  composition  and  coloring  approach  so 
closely  the  manner  of  his  master,  except  that  his 
tones  are  warmer  and  more  brilliant.  The  high 
lights  in  the  flesh,  and  the  brilliant  landscape, 
give  this  painting  the  appearance  of  a  Boucher 
touched  up  by  Rubens.  Who  has  said,  speaking 
of  this  adorable  group  of  nymphs  freely  romping 
in  the  grass,  that  they  resemble  a  bunch  of  flow¬ 
ers  where  roses  predominate?  and,  pondering  still 
further,  we  feel  that  this  painting  is  actually 
blossoming,  and  that  we  can  smell  its  fra¬ 
grance.” 

From  the  collection  of  Comtesse  Tysckewitz,  Paris. 

Canvas,  25J/2  x  32J/2  inches. 


5.  “LES  BAISERS  MATERNELS  OU  LES 
JALOUSIES  DE  L’ENFANCE” 

“Maternal  Kisses  or  Jealousies  of  Childhood” 

What  a  pleasant  family  scene  this  painting 
represents,  where  Fragonard  wishes  us  to  share 

21 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 

some  of  the  delights  of  home  life,  the  charms  of 
which  he  had  just  lately  learned  to  appreciate! 

This  is  what  Baron  Portalis  says:  “Fragonard 
depicts  the  tranquil  episodes  of  country  life.  Ani¬ 
mals,  and  especially  children,  play  a  most  impor¬ 
tant  part  in  these  compositions,  and  these  latter 
provide  the  pretext  for  the  swarming  group  of 
fresh  and  laughing  faces.  It  is  a  pleasure  to  ob¬ 
serve  how  happily  Fragonard  was  influenced  in 
his  choice  by  these  young  people  frolicking  around 
him.  In  these  half-grown  youngsters,  we  can  see 
his  brother-in-law  and  sister-in-law.  The  little 
children  who,  sometimes,  are  rolling  on  the  floor 
or  playing  with  the  dogs  of  his  home,  are  his  own 
children,  whose  games  provide  a  ready  picture 
for  the  artist. 

“The  painter  only  needs  to  look  around  him  to 
find  his  models.  Is  it  a  wonder,  therefore,  that 
he  should  have  left  such  dainty  paintings  and 
such  graceful  compositions,  in  which  childhood 
has  never  been  better  understood  nor  more  deli¬ 
cately  interpreted?” 

What  a  truly  happy  subject  this  radiant  mother 
in  the  midst  of  her  children,  who  are  disputing 
eagerly  for  her  caresses!  And  is  it  not  his  own 
family  that  Fragonard  has  thus  evoked  on  this 
canvas? 

This  painting  is  the  sketch  of  the  canvas  reproduced  in 

Portalis’  book,  page  178. 


22 


JEAN  HONORS  FRAGONARD 

Catalogued  in  Roger  Portalis’  “Fragonard,”  page  280. 
Catalogued  in  P.  de  Nolhac’s  “Fragonard,”  page  126. 
Previously  in  the  collection  of  Mme.  Walferdin. 

Walferdin  Sale,  April  12-16,  1880,  No.  76. 

From  the  collection  of  M.  Sigismond  Bardac,  Paris. 

6.  “LEBONHEUR  DU  PREMIER  BAISER” 

“The  Bliss  of  the  First  Kiss” 

This  painting,  treated  with  grace  and  deli¬ 
cate  lightness,  represents  an  altar  on  which  is 
inscribed  the  following:  “Au  Bonheur  du  Pre¬ 
mier  Baiser.”  Cupid,  seen  in  profile,  has  just 
cut  off  his  wings,  and,  placing  them  on  the  altar, 
he  kisses  a  young  woman  whose  hazy  outline  is 
seen  in  the  clouds. 

“This  subject,”  M.  Portalis  says,  “is  very 
dear  to  Fragonard.  The  list  is  long,  from  ‘Le 
Premier  Baiser,’  in  which  the  painter  has  de¬ 
picted  the  trembling  touch  of  love,  to  the  beauti¬ 
ful  painting  known  by  the  engraving  as  ‘Le 
Baiser  a  la  Derobee.’  .  .  .  With  his  brush  Fra¬ 
gonard  has  taught  us  every  possible  kind  of  a 
kiss.” 

This  same  subject  has  been  treated  in  a  draw¬ 
ing,  catalogued  No.  234,  in  the  Walferdin  sale, 
and  engraved  in  bistre,  in  an  oval  shape,  without 
the  engraver’s  name  and  without  title. 

Catalogued  in  Portalis’  “Fragonard,”  page  272. 

23 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 

Catalogued  in  P.  de  Nolhac’s  “Fragonard,”  page  118. 
Catalogued  in  De  Goncourt’s  “L’Art  au  XVIIIeme  Siecle,” 
tome  III,  page  328. 

Walferdin  Sale,  April  12-16,  1880,  No.  15. 

Collection  of  Mme.  Paillard. 

From  the  collection  of  M.  Sigismond  Bardac,  Paris. 

Canvas,  12J/2X9J/2  inches. 


7.  “LA  BONNE  MERE” 

“The  Good  Mother” 

This  subject,  which  has  become  popular, 
thanks  to  an  excellent  engraving  by  De  Launay, 
represents  one  of  these  happy  moments  of  moth¬ 
erhood  in  which  Fragonard  excels  as  well  as  in 
his  pictures  of  love.  With  his  favorite  trees  as  a 
background,  bringing  out  his  wonderful  effect  of 
light  and  shade,  Fragonard,  in  vigorous  con¬ 
trasts,  has  grouped  together,  at  the  foot  of  an 
antique  vase  mounted  on  a  very  high  pedestal, 
a  young  woman  seated  on  a  stone  bench,  with  a 
cradle  in  which  sleeps  a  half-naked  infant,  and  a 
robust  little  girl  of  three  or  four  years  of  age.  On 
the  young  mother’s  shoulder  a  big  white  cat  is 
purring.  With  her  left  hand  on  the  head  of  a 
child,  she  is  turning  up  the  latter’s  face,  while 
with  her  right  hand  she  holds  a  rustic  bowl  con¬ 
taining  the  sponge  with  which  she  is  going  to  wash 

24 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 

the  little  girl.  Hiding  behind  her,  a  mischievous 
little  boy  slyly  pours  into  the  bowl  the  contents  of 
a  jug  of  water.  Nothing  could  be  more  natural 
and  more  vivid  than  this  composition. 

Tradition  says  that  “La  Bonne  Mere”  is  the 
portrait  of  Mme.  Fragonard,  and  the  fact  that 
this  picture  reminded  the  artist  of  the  first  years 
of  his  married  life  explains  why  it  had  such  an 
extraordinary  attraction  for  him  that  he  dedi¬ 
cated  it  to  his  country  in  1789,  at  the  time  of  the 
Revolution. 

All  the  authors  agree  that  this  painting  is  one 
of  the  most  beautiful  executed  by  the  master  of 
Grasse. 

Virgile  Josz  writes  as  follows:  “While  Eva¬ 
riste  Fragonard  is  studying  at  David’s,  the  ‘Etats 
Generaux’  are  assembled  and  the  great  drama 
begins.  Fragonard  dedicates  his  ‘Bonne  Mere’ 
to  his  country— the  ‘Bonne  Mere’  that  Nicolas  de 
Launay  had  engraved  for  Menage  de  Pressigny, 
who  was  soon  to  be  taken  to  the  scaffold.” 

M.  Pierre  de  Nolhac  says :  “The  young  mother 
shows  us  a  crib  under  trees  heavily  laden  down 
with  foliage  and  flowers.  The  atmosphere 
around  this  little  group  is  pure  and  caressing. 
What  beautiful  effects  of  luminous  light  the  artist 
has  produced!  The  mother,  smiling  and  happy, 
is  busily  attending  to  the  daily  toilette  of  her  little 
ones;  the  younger  child  is  sleeping  in  the  crib,  all 

25 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 

buried  in  the  coverlets,  and  its  little  hand  is  rest¬ 
ing  under  its  dimpled  chin.” 

Engraved  by  Nicolas  de  Launay. 

Reproduced  in  F.  Naquet’s  “Fragonard,”  page  43. 
Reproduced  in  Mauclair’s  “Fragonard,”  page  20. 
Reproduced  in  Roger  Portalis’  “Fragonard,”  page  182. 
Mentioned  in  F.  Naquet’s  “Fragonard.” 

Mentioned  in  Mauclair’s  “Fragonard.” 

Mentioned  in  Virgile  Josz’s  “Fragonard.” 

Mentioned  in  P.  de  Nolhac’s  “Fragonard.” 

Mentioned  in  Portalis’  “Fragonard.” 

Exhibited  at  “L’Art  du  XVIIIdme  Siecle,”  1883,  No.  60. 
Exhibited  at  “Les  Inondes  du  Midi,”  1887,  No.  45. 
Formerly  in  the  Spitzer  collection. 

In  the  collection  of  Mrs.  S.  R.  Bertron,  New  York. 

Canvas,  oval,  25y2  x  21J4  inches. 


8.  “LA  CHARRETTE  DE  ROSES” 

“The  Cart  of  Roses” 

While  this  composition  depicts  life  in  the 
fields,  it  also  evokes  a  fairyland,  all  bathed  in 
that  luminous  light  that  Fragonard  so  masterly 
rendered. 

This  beautiful  picture  establishes  a  new  phase 
of  Fragonard’s  talent.  He  spends  his  summers 
in  the  country,  and  the  rustic  homes  and  farm¬ 
yards,  as  remarks  M.  Portalis,  constitute  the 
backgrounds  of  his  compositions. 

The  young  woman  that  Fragonard  has  painted 

26 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 

looks  charming  in  a  red  dress— so  gracefully 
pulled  up.  In  the  background  we  see  a  pictu¬ 
resque  windmill.  Although  Fragonard’s  origin¬ 
ality  is  quite  apparent  in  this  work,  we  can  feel 
Boucher’s  influence  in  the  windmill;  for  Boucher 
frequently  introduced  windmills  in  his  composi¬ 
tions  which  he  painted  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Paris.  The  hollyhock  which  adorns  the  cart,  and 
in  which  the  master  makes  the  light  play,  is  most 
fascinating  to  the  eye;  and  who  knows  if  Frago¬ 
nard,  when  he  painted  these  roses,  did  not  think 
of  the  town  of  Grasse,  his  own  native  country,  so 
rich  in  flowers  and  fragrant  fruit? 

From  the  collection  of  Mr.  Ch.  Davis. 

Canvas,  19%x23|4  inches. 


9.  “MADEMOISELLE  COLOMBE” 

Marie  Therese  Theodor  Ramboccoli  Riggieri, 
called  Mile.  Colombe,  was  born  in  Venice,  Oc¬ 
tober  22,  1752.  Brought  to  Paris,  while  she  was 
still  very  young,  by  her  father,  a  strolling  musi¬ 
cian,  she  entered  the  “Comedie  Italienne”  in 
1766.  There  she  became  acquainted  with  Comte 
de  Masserone,  known  as  Lord  Mazarin,  who  fell 
desperately  in  love  with  her,  and  bought  her  from 
her  parents  for  the  sum  of  100  louis  d’or.  She 
then  left  the  “Comedie  Italienne,”  but  returned 

27 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 

to  it  November  6,  1772,  to  play  the  part  of  Hor- 
tense  in  “Le  Huron”  by  Marmontel  and  Gretry. 

Being  of  reputed  beauty,  and  possessing,  as 
Grimm  said,  “the  most  beautiful  eyes  in  the 
world,”  Mile.  Colombe  met  with  marvelous  suc¬ 
cess.  Grimm,  Bachaumont,  and  Boldini  praised 
her  very  highly,  Falconet  executed  her  portrait  in 
marble,  and  all  the  contemporaries  acknowledged 
her  beauty : 

“Chez  elle  il  faut  s’appareiller 
Si  dans  ses  mains  je  tombe 
Qu’elle  me  transforme  en  ramier 
Car  j’aime  la  Colombe.” 

After  having  achieved  a  great  success  in  “La 
Colonie  de  Sacchini,”  in  the  part  of  Belinde,  she 
gave  up  the  stage  in  1788.  Soon  after  she  be¬ 
came  destitute.  She  died  at  Versailles  on  the 
29th  of  March,  1837. 

In  this  delightful  portrait,  made  of  blond 
tonalities,  Mile.  Colombe  is  represented  full  face, 
delicately  modeled,  her  head  slightly  drooping 
and  her  shoulders  exposed;  she  holds  an  apple  in 
her  left  hand.  At  the  bottom  of  the  painting 
there  is  a  dove,  a  symbol  of  love. 

From  the  collection  of  M.  Doisteau,  Paris. 

In  the  collection  of  Mr.  William  Salomon,  New  York. 
Canvas,  oval,  22/i  x  19  inches. 

28 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 


10.  “MADEMOISELLE  DUTHE” 

Mile.  Duthe  was  born  on  the  Chaussee  d’An- 
tin,  Paris,  in  1748. 

In  his  preface  preceding  the  witty  souvenirs 
that  Mile.  Duthe  has  written,  M.  Paul  Ginisty 
speaks  as  follows  of  this  celebrated  actress: 

“Mile.  Duthe,  who  began  her  career  at  a  very 
young  age  and  was  well  launched,  received  the 
attention  of  the  most  distinguished  men  of  the 
time,  both  of  high  birth  and  situation,  from  future 
monarchs  and  monarchs  as  well.” 

While  still  quite  young,  she  succeeded  in  being 
admitted  to  the  opera  through  the  influence  of 
M.  Hocquart,  and  later  she  appeared  at  the  the¬ 
atre  of  Mile.  Guimard,  with  whom  she  became 
very  intimate. 

Among  her  numerous  protectors  were:  M.  de 
Letoriere,  the  Due  de  Chartres,  M.  de  Genlis,  and 
the  young  Due  de  Bourbon.  Philosophers  and 
men  of  letters  such  as  Diderot,  Marmontel,  Gen- 
til  Bernard,  Colardeau,  etc.,  frequented  her 
salon.  On  Saturdays  she  gave  famous  and  sump¬ 
tuous  dinners,  and  one  day  she  appeared  driv¬ 
ing  at  Longchamps  in  a  carriage  drawn  by  eight 
white  horses.  She  also  tried  to  go  into  politics, 
and  sought  the  influence  of  M.  Choiseul  just  at  a 


29 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 

time  when  his  opponents  were  plotting  against 
him. 

Mile.  Duthe  was  very  beautiful.  Inspector 
Marais  described  her  as  follows:  “She  is  one  of 
the  most  beautiful  women  of  Paris;  tall,  has  a 
very  good  figure,  splendid  complexion,  a  most 
amiable  face,  and  beautiful  hair.” 

As  we  can  well  surmise,  she  was  extraordi¬ 
narily  popular,  and  there  are  many  songs  of  the 
time  written  around  her: 

“Duthe  tu  cherches  a  plaire 
A  qui  peut  t’enrichir, 

Moi  qui  suis  mousquetaire 
Je  n’ai  rien  a  t’offrir.” 


Her  residence  on  the  Chaussee  d’Antin  was 
one  of  the  most  elegant  in  Paris.  After  a  short 
stay  in  England,  Mile.  Duthe  became  blind  and 
died  in  1820. 

The  painters  disputed  for  this  pretty  model; 
besides  this  famous  painting  by  Fragonard,  a 
masterpiece  in  freshness  of  color  and  delicacy  of 
modeling,  Perrin  has  left  us  an  agreeable  por¬ 
trait  of  her  which  is  in  the  Museum  of  Rheims. 
Prud’hon  has  painted  her,  and  the  engravings  of 
Le  Beau  and  Janinet  have  made  her  popular. 

The  following  is  what  Baron  Portalis  says,  in 
30 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 

his  work  on  Fragonard,  regarding  this  painting 
by  the  master:  “Launched  in  the  theatrical 
world,  especially  in  his  youth,  the  artist  had  a 
splendid  opportunity  to  paint  several  of  the  lead¬ 
ing  actresses,  and  it  is  to  these  acquaintances  that 
we  owe  his  portrait  of  Mile.  Duthe.” 

Previously  in  the  collection  of  F.  Waller,  Esq.,  London. 
From  the  collection  of  Baronne  Nathaniel  de  Rothschild. 
From  the  collection  of  Baron  Arthur  de  Rothschild. 

In  the  collection  of  Mrs.  John  W.  Simpson,  New  York. 
Canvas,  round,  diameter  2014  inches. 


11.  “FANCHON,  LA  VIELLEUSE” 

“Fanchon,  the  Hurdy-Gurdy  Player” 

Fragonard’s  painting  evokes  one  of  the  most 
delicate  pictures  of  the  Paris  of  former  days. 

Frangoise  Chemin,  known  as  “Fanchon,  la 
Vielleuse,”  was  very  popular  in  Paris  towards 
the  end  of  the  XVIIIth  century.  A  mountebank 
by  profession,  she  knew  how  to  achieve  great  re¬ 
nown  for  herself  by  means  of  her  songs,  which 
she  would  render,  accompanying  herself  on  her 
hurdy-gurdy. 

During  the  reign  of  Louis  XV  the  hurdy-gurdy 
became  very  much  in  vogue;  it  was  a  string  in¬ 
strument  that  was  played  by  means  of  a  crank. 

Fanchon  was  at  first  very  popular  with  the 
people.  She  was  gifted  with  a  pretty  voice, 

31 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 

and  with  the  aid  of  her  famous  hurdy-gurdy,  she 
would  sing  Revolutionary  songs,  of  which  the 
most  celebrated  was  the  following: 

“Nous,  dont  la  lampe  le  matin, 

Au  clairon  du  coq  se  rallume; 

Nous  tous  qu’un  salaire  incertain, 

Ramene  avant  l’Aube  a  l’enclume; 

Nous,  qui  des  bras,  des  pieds,  des  mains, 

De  tout  le  corps  luttons  sans  cesse, 

Sans  abriter  nos  lendemains, 

Contre  le  froid  et  la  Vieillesse. 

Aimons  nous  et  quand  nous  pourrons 
Nous  unir  a  la  ronde, 

Que  le  canon  se  taise  ou  gronde, 

Buvons 

A  l’independance  du  monde.” 

Later  on  she  modified  her  repertoire;  singing 
before  ladies  and  gentlemen  of  the  court,  she 
became  the  star  of  the  fashionable  concerts. 

Fanchon’s  picturesque  little  personality  was 
soon  adopted  by  the  stage  and  the  arts,  and  it  has 
since  been  revived  by  numerous  comedies  and 
operettas. 

“Fanchon,  la  Vielleuse”  is  represented  here  as 
a  “Jeune  Fille  a  la  Marmotte,”  standing  near  a 
table  on  which  rests  the  box  containing  a  little 
marmot. 


32 


JEAN  HONORS  FRAGONARD 

Duclos-Dufresnoy  Sale,  1795. 

Vassal  de  St.  Hubert  Sale,  1783. 

Mentioned  in  Baron  Roger  Portalis’  “Fragonard.” 

In  the  collection  of  Mrs.  John  W.  Simpson,  New  York. 
Canvas,  11  x  9  inches. 


12.  “FANFAN” 

This  charming  miniature  represents  Frago¬ 
nard’s  only  son,  Alexandre  Evariste,  nicknamed 
“Fanfan.” 

Fanfan  was  born  at  Grasse  in  1780.  He  had 
a  sister,  Rosalie,  whom  death  claimed  when  still 
young;  Fragonard,  therefore,  lavished  all  his 
affection  on  his  little  son,  and  placed  all  his  hopes 
in  him.  It  was  this  little  fellow  who  brightened 
the  home  of  the  painter,  that  cheerful  interior 
that  M.  Charles  Blanc  describes  as  follows: 

“Fragonard  had  painted  fantastic  trees,  and  in 
a  corner  he  had  hung  a  swing  on  which  he  often 
placed  his  models.  It  was  by  this  aerial  stair¬ 
case  that  Fragonard’s  young  child  would  come 
down  from  his  apartment  situated  above.  The 
furniture,  the  interior  arrangement,  the  light,  all 
reminded  one  of  the  usual  fairylike  beauty  of  his 
paintings.  Here  and  there  he  had  placed  gar¬ 
lands  of  flowers,  potted  plants,  and  even  playing 
fountains,  as  well  as  bright-colored  carpets  and 
draperies  of  fine  material.” 

33 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 

The  following  passages  are  taken  from  the 
well-informed  biography  of  Alexandre  Evariste 
by  Baron  Portalis : 

“First,  having  been  his  father’s  pupil,  he  en¬ 
tered,  at  a  very  young  age,  the  studio  of  David. 

.  .  .  During  the  Consulate  young  Fragonard 
was  commissioned  by  Lucien  Bonaparte  to  deco¬ 
rate  the  latter’s  country  home  at  Plessis-Cha- 
mant. 

“  .  .  .  Alexandre  Fragonard  made  designs 
for  many  monuments  that  were  never  executed, 
among  others  an  obelisk  with  bas-reliefs  which 
was  to  have  been  erected  on  a  platform  of  the 
Pont  Neuf.  The  events  of  1815  prevented  the 
execution  of  this  great  work,  the  designs  of 
which  had  been  approved  by  the  Emperor. 

“Such  was  also  the  case  with  the  sculpture  for 
the  facade  of  the  Madeleine,  with  which  he  had 
been  entrusted. 

“He  painted  many  pictures,  among  which  the 
following  are  the  principal  ones :  The  Shepherds 
of  Virgile,’  ‘Joan  of  Arc  entering  Orleans’  (which 
is  in  the  Museum  of  Orleans),  ‘Marie  Therese 
presenting  her  Son  to  the  Hungarians,’  and  many 
others. 

“In  sculpture  he  executed  the  colossal  bronze 
statues  of  Pichegru,  Jeanne  de  Laval,  etc.  .  .  . 
He  had  produced  many  designs  and  models  of 
sculpture  for  the  ‘Manufacture  de  Sevres,’  and  it 

34 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 

was  in  this  national  establishment  that  he  placed 
his  son,  Theophile  Fragonard,  who  distinguished 
himself  there  as  a  painter  on  porcelain.” 

He  died  in  Paris  in  November,  1850. 

As  we  see,  although  Fragonard’s  son  did  not 
possess  his  father’s  genius,  still  he  was  a  painter 
of  merit. 

Fragonard  was  an  excellent  miniaturist,  and 
M.  Portalis  says  the  following  of  him : 

“His  miniatures  represent  little  boys  and  girls 
with  wide-awake  faces,  with  great  big,  beaming 
eyes,  and  with  clear  and  animated  complexions, 
which  remind  us  of  reduced  portraits  by  Greuze.” 

Previously  in  the  collection  of  M.  Walferdin. 

From  the  collection  of  M.  Stern,  Paris. 

Exhibited  at  the  “Exposition  de  la  Miniature”  at  Brussels, 
1912. 

Miniature,  oval,  2^4  x  2 J/4  inches. 


13.  “MADEMOISELLE  GUIMARD” 

Marie  Madeleine  Guimard,  the  celebrated  ac¬ 
tress,  was  born  in  Paris  on  October  10,  1743. 

While  still  very  young  she  was  in  the  ballet 
corps  of  the  Comedie  Franqaise,  and  later  on  she 
entered  the  opera.  Intelligent,  witty,  and  very 
beautiful,  she  soon  acquired  an  extraordinary 
reputation.  All  the  fashionable  ladies  of  the  day 

35 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 

wore  gowns  a  la  Guimard.  Writers  and  poets 
sang  her  praises.  Bachaumont  said  of  her: 

“Her  gracefulness  did  honor  to  Terpsichore, 
and  she  only  lacked  a  certain  roundness  of 
form.” 

Among  her  numerous  protectors  were  the 
Marechal  de  Soubise  and  Benjamin  de  la  Borde. 
In  1792  she  was  married  to  Despreaux,  who 
founded  a  theatre  that  became  very  popular. 
Her  home  in  the  Chaussee  d’Antin  is  still  re¬ 
nowned. 

It  is  certain  that  Fragonard  visited  her.  The 
following  is  what  M.  Portalis  says  about  her: 

“La  Guimard,  who  afterwards  became  the 
wife  of  Despreaux,  the  dramatic  author  and  di¬ 
rector  of  the  theatre,  became  at  the  start  the 
darling  of  the  gay  world.  .  .  .  The  wonderful 
tales  of  ‘La  Belle  Damnee,’  as  Marmontel  called 
her,  vastly  amused  history.  She  had  three  differ¬ 
ent  supper  parties  a  week,  the  one  consisting  of 
the  first  gentlemen  of  the  court,  and  the  others  of 
authors  and  artists  who  came  to  entertain  this 
Muse;  and,  of  course,  Fragonard  must  have  been 
there  also  with  all  his  brilliant  wit  and  good 
humor.” 

This  beautiful  circular  portrait,  which  is  the 
companion  piece  of  the  one  of  “Mademoiselle 
Duthe,”  mentioned  above,  is  equally  brilliant  in 
color  and  modeled  with  grace. 

36 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 

Previously  in  the  collection  of  F.  Waller,  Esq.,  London. 
From  the  collection  of  Baronne  Nathaniel  de  Rothschild. 
From  the  collection  of  Baron  Arthur  de  Rothschild. 

In  the  collection  of  Mrs.  John  W.  Simpson,  New  York. 
Canvas,  round,  diameter  20^4  inches. 


14.  “MADEMOISELLE  GUIMARD” 

Another  portrait  of  Marie  Madeleine  Guimard, 
the  celebrated  and  beautiful  actress,  whom  Vir- 
gile  Josz  describes  as  follows: 

“That  girl  has  ‘the  prettiest  neck  in  the  world,’ 
as  Marais  remarks  in  his  police  report,  and  a 
small  waist,  so  well  in  proportion  with  her  dainty 
figure;  a  childlike  head  with  thin  lips;  a  sensual 
chin,  a  prominent  forehead  and  ‘Chinese  eyes,’ 
recalling  those  of  Mile,  de  Prie.” 

The  same  author  narrates  the  following  amus¬ 
ing  anecdote: 

“La  Guimard  had  a  quarrel  with  Fragonard 
and  had  engaged  another  painter.  Fragonard 
was  determined  to  avenge  himself,  and,  one  day, 
gained  admission  into  her  house.  Seizing  a  few 
brushes,  he  set  to  work  to  transform  a  smiling 
portrait  of  his  former  friend  into  one  expressing 
ferocious  anger.  A  few  moments  later,  the  mis¬ 
tress  of  the  house  arrived  with  a  few  friends  to 


37 


JEAN  HONORS  FRAGONARD 

whom  she  wanted  to  show  the  works  of  her  new 
painter.  Upon  being  convinced  that  she  had  been 
ridiculed,  she  burst  into  a  violent  rage,  and  her 
amused  guests  realized  then  that  she  possessed 
the  very  features  depicted  on  the  canvas.” 

That  Fragonard  was  a  great  admirer  of  her  is 
evident  when  we  read  Virgile  Josz,  who  further 
says:  “Having  forsaken  the  peaceful  joys  of 
home,  Fragonard,  working  on  his  decorations, 
lingers  enthralled  in  the  Chaussee  d’Antin  paint¬ 
ing  ‘La  Belle  Damnee.’  ” 

For  La  Guimard’s  celebrated  house  had  been 
decorated  by  Fragonard  himself,  and  M.  Jacques 
Doucet,  the  well-known  collector,  in  his  home  in 
the  Rue  Spontini  owns  two  exquisitely  decorated 
door  panels  which  came  from  there.  It  is  inter¬ 
esting  to  state  that  M.  Doucet  purchased  them 
some  thirty  years  ago,  for  a  few  hundred  francs, 
from  a  coal-vender  who  had  bought  them  for 
kindling-wood. 

From  the  collection  of  Sir  Hugh  Lane,  London. 

Canvas,  21%  x  15%  inches. 


15.  “L’HEUREUX  MENAGE” 


“The  Happy  Family” 

This  delicate  and  intimate  scene  has  always 
been  greatly  appreciated.  Messrs,  de  Goncourt, 

38 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 

in  “L’Art  au  XVIIIeme  Siecle,”  recall  it  as  fol¬ 
lows  in  Volume  III,  page  334 : 

“  ...  In  1825  there  appeared  at  the  Didot 
Sale  a  picture  representing  a  father  vanquished 
by  the  caresses  of  a  child,  which  was  catalogued 
as  ‘L’Heureux  Menage.’  ” 

M.  Pierre  de  Nolhac  describes  it  as  follows: 

“L’Heureux  Menage.— A  young  husband, 
reclining  on  a  sofa,  holds  his  child  in  his  arms; 
his  wife,  standing  behind  him,  rests  against  his 
shoulder.  A  parrot  with  outstretched  wings  is  to 
be  seen  in  the  composition.”  (Round,  diameter 
34  cm.) 

We  find  a  more  ample  description  of  this  paint¬ 
ing  in  the  Didot  Catalogue  of  April  3  and  5, 
1825,  under  No.  135: 

“A  young  husband,  reclining  on  a  sofa,  en¬ 
joys  the  caresses  of  his  child,  who  pushes  for¬ 
ward  to  embrace  him  while  he  is  holding  him  in 
his  arms.  A  parrot,  with  outstretched  wings  and 
open  beak,  shares  the  joy  of  this  family  scene. 

“Thanks  to  a  number  of  canvases  as  excellent 
as  this  one,  Fragonard,  at  the  end  of  the  past  cen¬ 
tury,  acquired  a  celebrity  which  his  son  main¬ 
tains  in  a  dignified  way.” 

It  is  amusing  to  read  these  latter  remarks  in 
the  Didot  Catalogue,  written  at  a  time  when 
Fragonard’s  son  was  still  living— this  same  Eva- 

39 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 

riste  who,  during  the  Revolution,  destroyed  so 
many  of  his  father’s  prints. 

Didot  Sale,  April  3-5,  1825,  No.  136. 

Du  Bois  Sale. 

Otto  Mundler  Sale,  November  27,  1871. 

Comte  Hondetot  Sale,  May  9,  1859. 

Mentioned  in  De  Goncourt’s  “L’Art  au  XVIIIeme  Siecle.” 
Mentioned  in  Pierre  de  Nolhac’s  “Fragonard.” 

In  the  collection  of  Mr.  William  Salomon,  New  York. 
Canvas,  round,  diameter  13^2  inches. 


16.  “LA  FILLETTE  A  LA  MARMOTTE” 

“The  Young  Girl  with  the  Marmot” 

17.  “LE  JEUNE  HOMME  A  LA  CURIO- 

SITE” 

“The  Young  Man,  Vender  of  Curiosities” 

The  charming  picture  known  as  “La  Fillette  a 
la  Marmotte”  portrays  one  of  the  pastimes  of  the 
XVIIIth  century.  The  people  of  the  time  were 
very  fond  of  these  trained  pets,  which  were  kept 
preciously  in  a  box  and  were  made  to  come  out 
only  to  perform  their  dances,  accompanied  by 
the  music  of  a  bird-organ  or  of  a  rattle. 

The  picture  is  painted  in  an  extremely  delicate 
manner;  the  little  girl  is  bewitching  with  her  doll- 
like,  comely  face,  replete  with  astonishment. 

40 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 

In  the  picture  known  as  “Le  Jeune  Homme  a 
la  Curiosite”  the  young  man  leans  on  a  box  filled 
with  curios,  and  in  his  left  hand  he  holds  one 
of  them.  He  is  fair  and  of  a  delicate  type  also. 

Undoubtedly  Fragonard  has  chosen  members 
of  his  own  family  as  models:  perhaps  his  brother- 
in-law  or  his  son;  perhaps  his  sister-in-law  or  his 
wife,  as  M.  Leandre  Vaillant  surmises.  The  fact 
is  that  we  frequently  find  these  same  types  in 
Fragonard’s  paintings  which  were  executed  after 
his  marriage.  At  this  period,  as  M.  Pierre  de 
Nolhac  remarks,  “Fragonard  began  a  new  life. 
His  young  wife  loved  him,  surrounded  him  with 
care  and  tenderness,  and  knew  how  to  keep  him 
from  the  temptations  of  the  outside  world.  In 
this  calm  and  quiet  sphere  the  soul  of  the  master 
awoke  to  new  aspirations.  He  dreamed  of 
purity,  of  soft  beautiful  visions,  of  wise  thoughts 
born  of  the  beautiful  home  life  he  was  leading.” 

From  the  collection  of  M.  de  Malterre. 

Canvas,  each,  \3]/2  x  9]/2  inches. 


18.  “PAYSAGE  DTTALIE” 

“Italian  Landscape” 

This  landscape  was  executed  in  Italy,  not  at 
the  time  when  Fragonard  was  a  student  at  the 
Art  School  of  Rome,  but  during  his  second  trip  in 

41 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 

1774,  when  he  was  in  full  possession  of  all  his 
talent  and  all  his  resources. 

If  Fragonard  attained  such  genius,  it  is  due  to 
the  fact  that  as  a  student  he  conscientiously- 
studied  the  great  masters  of  all  schools.  He  was 
not  satisfied  with  studying  the  Italians,  but  he 
made  a  careful  study  of  the  Flemish  painters  as 
well,  and  foremost  among  the  latter  he  acknow¬ 
ledged  the  great  talent  of  Ruysdael,  whose  pre¬ 
cision  and  careful  technique  in  the  execution  of 
landscape  he  much  admired.  He  imitates  his 
style  in  order  to  learn  his  method,  not  that  he 
admires  him  so  much,  but  he  wants  to  master  his 
technique  thoroughly.  And,  in  fact,  we  find  that 
Fragonard’s  landscapes  are  treated  with  Ruys- 
dael’s  careful  execution.  It  is,  therefore,  no 
wonder  that  the  catalogues  of  the  XVI  11th-cen¬ 
tury  sales  often  bore  the  name  of  “Fragonard 
Ruysdael”  to  describe  the  painter’s  landscapes. 

Trouard  Sale,  1779,  No.  81,  where  it  sold  for  730  pounds. 
Collection  of  M.  Paillet. 

Collection  of  Due  de  La  Rochefoucauld  Liancourt,  9  Rue 
Royale,  Paris. 

Benou  Sale,  June  20,  1827,  No.  20. 

From  the  collection  of  M.  Lehmann,  Paris. 

Catalogued  in  P.  de  Nolhac’s  “Fragonard.” 

Canvas,  22  x  25|^  inches. 


42 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 


19.  “RENAUD  DANS  LES  JARDINS 
D’ARMIDE” 

“Rinaldo  in  the  Gardens  of  Armida” 

This  was  just  the  time  when  Fragonard 
wanted  to  be  accepted  at  the  Academy  of  Paint¬ 
ing.  As  Baron  Portalis  says:  “To  meet  the  re¬ 
quirements  one  style  of  painting  was  not  suffi¬ 
cient;  to  insure  this  he  had  to  turn  to  history  or 
mythology  for  some  dramatic  subject,  so  Frago¬ 
nard  searched  through  poems  by  Tasso  for  a 
subject,  and  selected  ‘Rinaldo  in  the  Gardens  of 
Armida.’  ”  Both  the  author  and  the  hero  of  the 
famous  epic  “Jerusalem  Delivered”  were  inter¬ 
esting  enough  to  tempt  Fragonard.  Tasso,  who 
had  been  immortalized  by  Goethe,  was  very 
much  like  Fragonard,  an  ardent  admirer  and 
singer  of  Love;  and  even  though  he  treated  a  his¬ 
torical  subject,  Fragonard  found  in  “Jerusalem 
Delivered”  episodes  that  were  dear  to  him. 

As  every  one  knows,  Rinaldo,  under  orders  of 
Godfrey  de  Bouillon,  started  at  the  head  of  the 
Crusaders  to  conquer  Jerusalem.  Armida,  who 
was  the  niece  and  pupil  of  Hidraot  the  magician, 
King  of  Damascus,  succeeded  in  gaining  access 
to  the  camp  of  the  Christians,  setting  it  on  fire, 
and  capturing  all  their  great  leaders.  Rinaldo 
alone  resisted.  Armida,  furious  at  this  resis- 

43 


JEAN  HONORS  FRAGONARD 

tance,  tries  to  entrap  him,  succeeds  in  doing  so, 
and  plans  to  put  him  to  death.  But,  struck  by 
his  great  beauty,  she  falls  desperately  in  love 
with  him  and  endeavors  to  retain  him  near  her  in 
her  enchanted  gardens  at  the  end  of  the  earth. 

In  her  splendid  palace,  surrounded  by  delight¬ 
ful  pleasure  grounds,  enraptured  by  love  and 
passion,  Rinaldo  soon  forgets  his  vows  and  the 
great  object  to  which  he  has  devoted  his  life,  and 
the  Christians  are  delivered  up  to  the  infidels. 
The  hero,  however,  liberates  himself  from  his 
voluptuous  bondage,  regains  his  soldiers,  and 
captures  Jerusalem. 

Rinaldo  has  remained  the  type  of  the  brave 
and  intrepid  warrior  who  sometimes  allows  him¬ 
self  to  be  swayed  from  the  course  of  his  duty  by 
love. 

In  this  brilliant  picture  Fragonard  has  chosen 
for  his  subject  the  time  when  the  hero  penetrates 
into  the  enchanted  retreat  of  Armida.  His  hand 
resting  on  his  sword-hilt,  he  is  guided  by  the 
Graces.  In  the  midst  of  a  bevy  of  cupids  and 
nymphs,  each  playing  a  different  musical  instru¬ 
ment,  Armida  appears  in  the  full  charm  of  her 
beauty.  In  the  joyous  gardens  a  swarm  of  pretty 
women,  depicting  the  various  pleasures,  whirl 
around  Rinaldo. 

Leopold  Flameng  Sale. 

Beumonville  Sale,  May  21  and  22,  1882,  No.  13. 

44 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 

From  the  collection  of  Mme.  Watel. 

Engraved  by  Charles  Courtry. 

Reproduced  in  Beurnonville  Sale  Catalogue. 

Reproduced  in  Portalis’  “Fragonard,”  p.  287. 

Reproduced  in  P.  de  Nolhac’s  “Fragonard,”  p.  154. 

Canvas,  28^  x  35%  inches. 


20.  “LE  REPOS  DE  LA  SAINTE  FAMILLE” 

“The  Holy  Family  Resting” 

Fragonard  essayed  his  talents  in  every  style, 
and  succeeded  in  all.  At  first  he  was  the  amia¬ 
ble  and  gallant  painter  of  Mile.  Guimard,  the 
painter  of  boudoirs,  the  celebrated  decorator  for 
the  fashionable  salons,  the  dainty  miniaturist,  the 
talented  landscape  painter,  and  the  interpreter  of 
happy  family  gatherings. 

During  his  travels  in  Italy  he  learned  to  admire 
the  famous  Italian  masters,  and  he  became 
greatly  impressed  by  the  religious  art.  He  im¬ 
mediately  undertook  to  paint  this  style,  and  met 
with  signal  success. 

But  it  is  evident  that  Fragonard  did  not  paint 
the  Virgin  with  the  same  love  and  mysticism  as 
did  the  Italian  masters.  Fragonard  lacked  the 
faith.  Was  he  to  be  blamed  for  this?  Is  it  not 
rather  the  libertine  spirit  of  his  century  that  we 
should  accuse? 


45 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 

Whatever  it  may  be,  his  religious  compositions 
were  tender  interpretations,  bathed  in  delicate 
light  and  imbued  with  deep  sentiments  of  the 
home.  Many  critics  have  compared  Fragonard 
to  Murillo  in  this  respect,  and  the  comparison  is 
not  at  all  unjustified.  In  this  style  Fragonard 
has  by  far  surpassed  his  master,  Boucher,  whose 
religious  paintings  were  too  manifestly  uncon¬ 
strained. 

We  know  of  a  water-color  by  Fragonard,  of 
which  Auvray  gives  the  following  description: 
“The  Blessed  Virgin  is  sitting  next  to  St.  Joseph 
receiving  the  tender  caresses  of  the  Infant  Jesus, 
while  a  group  of  angels  look  on.”  It  was  after 
the  painting  known  as  “Le  Repos  de  la  Sainte 
Famille”  that  Fragonard  executed  that  water- 
color. 

The  painting  is  the  reduction  of  a  large  picture 
bearing  the  same  title,  which  is  to  be  seen  in  the 
Church  of  St.  Nizier  at  Troyes.  M.  A.  Bontillier 
du  Retail  reproduced  and  compared  the  two 
paintings  in  a  publication  entitled  “A  Fragonard 
at  Troyes.”  He  describes  the  two  pictures  as 
follows : 

“The  Virgin,  seated  on  a  rock,  is  holding  the 
Infant  Jesus  in  her  arms.  His  dimpled  little  body 
can  be  seen  under  the  slightly  raised  shirt.  Be¬ 
hind  this  group  St.  Joseph  is  somewhat  conven¬ 
tionally  leaning  against  a  cloud,  looking  at  the 

46 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 

scene.  His  stick  is  on  the  ground,  together  with 
his  meagre  baggage  and  his  traveling-gourd.  In 
the  firmament  can  be  seen  heads  of  little  angels 
who  are  taking  the  places  of  the  angels  who,  ac¬ 
cording  to  the  pretty  legend  of  the  apocrypha, 
accompanied  and  waited  on  the  Holy  Family  in 
its  flight  into  Egypt.” 

The  canvas  is  one  of  the  best  of  the  group  of 
religious  paintings  known  to  have  been  conceived 
by  Fragonard. 

Le  Prince  Sale,  1781,  No.  125. 

Due  de  la  Rochefoucauld  Sale,  1827. 

Roger  de  Breart  Sale,  1886,  No.  19. 

Collection  of  Due  de  la  Rochefoucauld  Liancourt. 

Collection  of  M.  Poilleux. 

Collection  of  M.  Langlois. 

Canvas,  oval,  2Q]/2  x  23  inches. 

21.  “SAINTE  FAMILLE,  D’APRES  REM¬ 
BRANDT” 

“Holy  Family,  after  Rembrandt” 

“Earnest  and  conscientious  in  everything  that 
pertained  to  his  profession,”  writes  M.  Pierre  de 
Nolhac,  “and  eager  to  retain  his  skill  and  pre¬ 
serve  intact  the  strength  of  his  talents,  Fragonard 
continued,  as  in  the  past,  to  study  the  great  mas¬ 
ters.” 

Therefore  he  turned  to  Rembrandt,  that  inter- 
47 


JEAN  HONORfi  FRAGONARD 

preter  of  light  that  Fragonard  learned  to  admire 
so  much.  His  paintings,  like  “Les  Traitants,” 
“La  Visite  a  la  Nourrice,”  and  others,  are  a  proof 
that  he  often  was  inspired  by  the  great  Dutch 
master. 

Here  he  chose  a  religious  subject  of  Rem¬ 
brandt’s,  one  full  of  charm  and  replete  with  that 
mother-love  which  he  so  much  enjoyed  painting. 
The  scene  is  laid  in  an  obscure  room  where  Rem¬ 
brandt’s  science  of  light  and  shade  is  marvelously 
executed.  Fragonard  has  most  extraordinarily 
depicted  the  solicitude  of  the  Virgin,  who  is  look¬ 
ing  tenderly  at  the  Infant  Jesus  asleep  in  a  little 
crib,  the  shape  of  which  we  find  in  others  of  his 
canvases. 

An  important  fact,  worthy  of  notice,  is  that 
this  painting  figured  in  Francois  Boucher’s  sale, 
which  took  place  on  February  18,  1771,  where 
we  find  it  catalogued  as  follows : 

“No.  111.— The  Infant  Jesus  is  sleeping  in  a 
wicker  cradle,  and  the  Blessed  Virgin,  while 
watching  his  sleep,  holds  an  open  book  in  her 
hand.  St.  Joseph  is  holding  a  hatchet  and  a 
piece  of  wood,  and  the  group  is  crowned  by  a 
glory  of  angels.  This  painting  is  a  copy,  after 
Rembrandt,  executed  by  M.  Fragonard  with 
wonderful  art  and  accuracy,  on  a  canvas  measur¬ 
ing  2  feet  inches  high  by  27  inches  wide” 
(French  measurements) . 

48 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 

The  painting  was  sold  for  72  pounds. 

Thus  we  have  two  suppositions:  either  Frago¬ 
nard,  entirely  satisfied  with  the  execution  of  this 
work,  and  being  desirous  of  showing  his  grati¬ 
tude  to  his  master,  gave  it  to  him;  or  else  Bou¬ 
cher,  being  so  impressed  by  the  beauty  of  the 
painting,  asked  Fragonard  for  it. 

Although  the  arrangement  and  manner  of 
Rembrandt  are  very  evident,  Fragonard’s  brush 
is  undeniably  felt  all  through  this  painting.  The 
maternal  love  that  illuminates  the  face  of  the 
Virgin;  the  rosy,  chubby  Baby  slumbering  so 
peacefully  in  his  crib;  all  this  bears  the  stamp  of 
Fragonard. 

Rembrandt  seen  through  Fragonard— what  an 
attractive  subject! 

The  painting  by  Rembrandt  is  at  present  in  the 
Hermitage  Museum  in  St.  Petersburg.  It  is 
larger  than  Fragonard’s  copy,  measuring  46 J/£  by 
36  inches,  and  is  signed  and  dated  1645.  Dr.  W. 
Bode,  in  his  book  on  Rembrandt,  describing  the 
latter’s  painting,  mentions  Fragonard’s  copy, 
saying:  “In  1899  an  old  copy  was  sold  in  Eng¬ 
land.”  The  fact  is  that  this  copy  at  that  time 
belonged  to  M.  Berger,  Esq.,  who  had  pre¬ 
viously  purchased  it  from  Mr.  O’Neil. 

Rembrandt’s  original  painting  was  in  the  Cro- 
zat  collection  towards  1768,  and  it  was  there  that 
Fragonard  made  this  beautiful  copy  of  it. 

49 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 

Collection  of  Francois  Boucher. 

Francois  Boucher  Sale,  February  18-21,  1771. 

Collection  of  M.  Paillet,  1779. 

Collection  of  M.  Gildermeester,  1800. 

Collection  of  R.  R.  Reinagle,  Esq.,  R.A.,  1831. 

Collection  of  Mr.  O’Neil. 

Collection  of  M.  Berger,  Esq. 

From  the  collection  of  M.  de  Charrette. 

Canvas,  36  x  29%  inches. 


22.  “LE  MOISSONNEUR” 

“The  Reaper” 

23.  “LE  JARDINIER” 

“The  Gardener” 

24.  “LA  BERGERE” 

“The  Shepherdess” 

25.  “LA  VENDANGEUSE” 

“The  Grape-Gatherer” 

26.  “LA  CAGE” 

“The  Cage” 

When  we  look  at  these  panels,  so  skilfully  ex¬ 
ecuted,  we  are  reminded  of  the  following  re¬ 
marks  of  Baron  Portalis : 

“Fragonard  was  endowed  with  all  the  qualities 

50 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 

necessary  to  an  adept  painter.  No  sombre  colors 
on  his  clear  and  gay  palette.  His  vivacious  tem¬ 
perament  aided  him,  in  a  great  measure,  to 
execute  his  works  in  a  rapid  but  facile  manner, 
and  to  grasp  the  idea  in  the  first  stroke.” 

“The  Reaper”  represents  an  interesting  and 
dreamy  type  of  the  ideal  laborer,  who  is  resting 
on  his  scythe  in  the  middle  of  a  field  of  wheat. 

“The  Gardener,”  who  has  just  picked  a  basket 
of  roses,  seems  to  run  towards  the  young  wo¬ 
man,  and  carries  to  her  children  a  bird  that  he 
has  just  caught. 

“The  Shepherdess”  represents  a  charming 
young  woman  wearing  a  delightfully  pretty 
dress  and,  as  Baron  Portalis  says,  “of  exquisite 
shades;  a  most  charming  costume;  a  style 
which  the  artists  of  that  time  adopted,  and 
which  was  most  delightful  for  the  eyes  to  feast 
on.”  She  is  carrying  her  child  asleep  on  her 
back,  and  another  roguish  little  tot  is  clinging 
to  her  apron.  A  charming  landscape  can  be 
seen  in  the  background. 

“The  Grape-Gatherer,”  shown  here,  is  most 
gracious  and  carries  bunches  of  grapes  in  her 
apron.  A  little  child  is  clutching  her  skirt,  try¬ 
ing  to  seize  the  grapes,  while  another,  who  has 
fallen  to  the  ground,  is  crying  for  its  share  of 
the  fruit. 


51 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 

Exhibited  at  the  Chardin-Fragonard  Exhibition,  1907,  Nos. 
134,  135,  136,  and  137. 

Reproduced  in  the  catalogue  of  the  Chardin-Fragonard  Ex¬ 
hibition  by  A.  Dayot  and  L.  Vaillant. 

Reproduced  and  described  in  “Scenes  de  la  Vie  Champetre” 
by  Baron  Roger  Portalis,  Paris,  1902. 

Canvases,  58 /2  x  32%  inches. 

“The  Cage”  represents  a  young  woman,  seated, 
lifting  a  bird-cage  with  her  arm.  A  young 
man  is  sitting  at  her  feet,  looking  at  her  and 
holding  a  dove  in  his  hands.  But  this  graceful 
couple,  so  agreeably  dressed,  do  not  live  in  the 
fields;  they  must  have  been  shepherds  of  the 
court.  In  those  days  Fragonard  worked  for 
rich  “Fermiers”  and  for  renowned  actresses. 
“For  his  artificial  subjects,”  says  Baron  Por¬ 
talis,  “Fragonard  needed  an  opera  setting,  a 
fairy  scene  composed  of  harmonious  lights 
and  rosy  hues  such  as  his  facile  brush  could 
create  so  deftly.” 

Canvas,  38  x  48  inches. 

These  graceful  poses,  these  delicate  hedge 
trees,  and  this  ideal  landscape  were  composed  to 
charm  the  eye;  and  these  harmonious  composi¬ 
tions  were  certainly  most  appropriate  for  the 
white  and  gray  boudoir  of  some  favorite  or  the 
sumptuous  salon  of  some  rich  amateur  of  those 
days. 


52 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 


DRAWINGS 

27.  “ETUDE  DE  DRAPERIE” 

“Study  in  Drapery” 

A  young  woman,  in  a  beautifully  draped  dress, 
seated. 

From  the  Heseltine  collection. 

Reproduced  in  “Dessins  de  l’Ecole  Frangaise  du  dix- 
huitieme  Siecle,”  Paris,  1913,  No.  27. 

Drawing  in  red  chalk,  9%  x  13%  inches. 


28.  “FEMME  DEBOUT,  LA  MAIN  SUR  LA 

HANCHE” 

“A  Woman  Standing,  Hand  on  Hip” 

Dimsdale  collection. 

Mayor  collection. 

From  the  Heseltine  collection. 

Exhibited  at  the  National  Loan  Exhibition,  No.  90. 
Reproduced  in  “Dessins  de  l’Ecole  Frangaise  du  dix- 
huitieme  Siecle,”  Paris,  1913,  No.  33. 

Drawing  in  red  chalk,  15%  x  9%  inches. 

29.  “JEUNE  FEMME  ASSISE” 

“Young  Woman  Seated” 

A  young  woman  seated.  She  has  a  head-dress 
in  the  style  of  a  Turkish  turban  and  holds  a  fan. 
Jean  Gigoux  Sale,  January  20,  1873,  No.  1 15. 

53 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 

From  the  Heseltine  collection. 

Reproduced  in  “Dessins  de  l’Ecole  Frangaise  du  dix- 
huitieme  Siecle,”  Paris,  1913,  No.  31. 

Drawing  in  red  chalk,  10  x  l/2  inches. 

30.  “LA  FEMME  AU  PERROQUET” 

“The  Woman  with  the  Parrot” 

A  young  woman  seated,  looking  at  a  parrot 
perched  on  a  screen. 

Mailand  collection,  April  4,  1881,  No.  58. 

Exhibited  at  the  National  Loan  Exhibition,  No.  89. 
Mentioned  in  Portalis’  “Fragonard,”  page  305. 

Reproduced  in  “Dessins  de  l’Ecole  Frangaise  du  dix- 
huitieme  Siecle,”  Paris,  1913,  No.  34. 

Drawing  in  red  chalk  relieved  with  bistre,  14x9J4  inches. 

31.  “LA  LECTURE” 

“Reading” 

A  delicate  scene  of  an  interior,  in  which  Frago¬ 
nard  excelled.  A  similar  drawing  is  in  the 
Louvre. 

Walferdin  Sale,  April  12-16,  1880,  No.  192. 

Engraved  by  Jules  de  Goncourt. 

Mentioned  in  Portalis’  “Fragonard,”  page  307. 

Reproduced  in  “Dessins  de  l’Ecole  Frangaise  du  dix- 
huitieme  Siecle,”  Paris,  1913,  No.  32. 

From  the  Heseltine  collection. 

Drawing  in  sepia,  1 1  x  8%  inches. 

54 


JEAN  HONORE  FRAGONARD 


32.  “LE  TAUREAU” 

“The  Bull” 

This  kind  of  subject  is  dear  to  Fragonard;  the 
quiet  country  life  attracts  him,  and  he  depicts 
same  in  many  of  his  paintings,  such  as  “The 
Stable,”  etc. 

A  bull  stands  in  a  stable,  next  to  a  truss  of  hay. 
To  the  right  a  young  girl  sleeps,  a  dog  at  her  side. 

Study  for  the  picture  in  the  collection  of  M. 
Sigismond  Bardac,  Paris. 

Vivant  Denon  Sale,  May  1,  1826,  No.  731. 

Vassal  de  Hubert  Sale,  March  27,  1779,  No.  182. 

Exhibited  at  the  National  Loan  Exhibition,  No.  91. 
Reproduced  in  the  catalogue  of  the  National  Loan  Exhibi¬ 
tion,  page  176. 

Reproduced  in  “Dessins  de  l’Ecole  Frangaise  du  dix- 
huitieme  Siecle,”  Paris,  1913,  No.  30. 

From  the  Heseltine  collection. 

Drawing  in  sepia,  10J4  x  14J4  inches. 


33.  “LA  VOILE  DES  AMOURS” 

“The  Sail  of  the  Cupids” 

Cupids  flutter  about  in  a  lively  circle,  carried 
away  by  the  sail  of  a  love-ship. 

Sketch  for  the  ceiling  of  the  residence  of  M. 
Bergeret. 


55 


JEAN  HONORfi  FRAGONARD 

In  the  collection  of  Mrs.  Snowden  A.  Fahnestock,  New 
York. 

Drawing  in  red  chalk,  1 5  x  20J4  inches. 


34.  “VUE  DES  JARDINS  DE  LA  VILLA 
D’ESTE” 

“View  of  the  Gardens  of  the  Villa  d’Este” 

This  delicate  drawing  is  a  souvenir  of  the  days 
that  the  author  spent  in  Italy. 

Two  lions  in  stone,  who  are  lying  at  the  ex¬ 
treme  end  of  a  balustrade,  guard  the  entrance  to 
a  staircase  leading  to  the  terraces  of  the  villa,  the 
tapering  perspective  of  which  can  be  seen  in  the 
distance.  In  the  foreground  we  distinguish  a 
high  wall  in  which  a  niche  is  sunken  where  some 
ancient  goddess  sits  on  a  throne  between  two  ani¬ 
mals,  and  surmounted  by  a  row  of  balustrades  on 
which  stand  two  statues.  Further  away,  under  a 
bushy  canopy  of  venerable  trees  whose  tops 
meet,  we  see  the  front  of  an  arbor  overladen  with 
vines  and  with  its  arches  most  carefully  de¬ 
signed  ;  in  the  background,  clusters  of  trees.  The 
ensemble  of  this  drawing  is  most  pleasing  and 
very  decorative. 

This  drawing  dates  from  1760,  which  is  the 
time  when  Fragonard  was  at  the  Villa  d’Este.  A 
painted  canvas  representing  the  same  subject  is 
preserved  in  the  Wallace  collection. 

56 


JEAN  HONORfi  FRAGONARD 

From  the  Lemarie  Sale,  April  25-27,  1912,  No.  579. 
Reproduced  in  “Fragonard,  le  Parc,”  by  the  Abbe  de  Saint- 
Non. 

Drawing  in  sepia  and  in  red  chalk,  13%  x  17%  inches. 


In  bringing  these  descriptions  to  a  close,  we 
cannot  restrain  ourselves  from  crying  out  with 
Baron  Portalis:  “Oh,  how  brilliantly  this 
XVI  11th-century  Art  unfolds  itself  in  an  un¬ 
equaled  glory;  with  what  freshness  and  grace! 
Perhaps  we  will  see  again  another  Boucher. 
But  never  will  there  arise  another  genius  like 
Fragonard,  to  evoke,  with  that  exquisite  charm, 
the  eternal  romance  of  youthful  Love.” 


57 


PUBLISHED  BY  E.  GIMPEL  & 
WILDENSTEIN,  WHO,  WHILE 
GIVING  STRICT  AND  CAREFUL 
INSTRUCTIONS  ON  THE  SUB¬ 
JECT  TO  THE  COMPILER,  CAN¬ 
NOT,  OF  COURSE,  WARRANT 
ACCURACY  OF  EVERY  FACT 
AND  STATEMENT  CONTAINED 
IN  THEIR  PUBLICATIONS 


*•  *«Sj> 


GETTY  CENTER  LIBRARY  MAIN 

ND  553  F7  G49  1914  BKS 

c.  1  Fragonard,  Jean-Hono 

Exhibition  of  paintings  and  draftings  by 


3  3125  00285  2248 


